Musical instrument.



No. 859,496- PATBNTED JULY 9, 1907.

F. J HBPPE.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

APPLICATION IIIIED NOV.13,1903.

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No. 859,496. PATENTED JULY 9, 190v. F. J. HEPPB.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

APPLIOATION FILED NOV.13, 1903.

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No. 859,496. I PATENTED JULY 9, 1907- P. J. HEPPE.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

APPLIOATION FILED NOV.13,1903.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 9, 1907.

Application filed November 13,1903- Serial No- 181,039.

To all whom tt may concern:

Be it known that I, FLORENCE J. Hnrrn, ol Philadelphia, in the State ol Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and uselul Improvements in Musical Instrunrents, whereof the lollowing is a specification, relerence being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to pianos and similar instruments, comprising automatic playing mechanism permanently adjusted in operative relation with their sounding devices; lor instance, mechanism ol the class controlled by a web of perforated paper which is progressed with respect to a pneumatic tracker bar provided with a series of apertures corresponding with a series ol sounding devices in the instrument. In such instruments, as ordinarily constructed, the automatic playing mechanism is so connected and arranged with respect to the sounding devices as to interlere with the operation ol tuning or adjusting the latter, and necessitate the disintegration ol such mechanism to secure access to the sounding devices. Such construction and arrangement is therelore, disadvantageous in that the services ol an ordinary tuner must be supplemented by the services ol one skilled in the handling ol the particular automatic playing mechanism involved, to ellect the tuning or adjustment ol such an instrument.

Accordingly, it is an object 01' my invention to provide automatic playing mechanism ol the class dc scribed so constructed and arranged that when adjusted in operative connection with the instrument which it is to play, it may be shifted to all'ord access to said instrun'ient without being disintegrated. Such an arrangement is advantageous in that an ordinary tuner may secure access to the sounding devices ol the instrument without any knowledge or experience with respect to the particular playing mechanism involved.

The term ol my invention hereinalter described coinprises an upright piano provided with automatic playing mechanism which is mounted above the key board to oscillate upon suitable pivotal supports in the piano casing, so as to lold downwardly and outwardly at the lront and thus allord access over it to the piano strings and action. I also find it convenient, as hereinalter described, to arrange the pneumatic motor ol said automatic playing mechanism to independently oscillate upon its support.

My invention comprehends the various novel leaturcs ol construction and arrangement hcreinalter more delinitely specified and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure I, is a lront view ol an upright piano having its upper lront panels removed to show a convenient embodiment ol my invention. Fig. II, is a vertical sectional view ol said instrument, taken on the line II, II, in Fig. I. Fig. III, is a vertical sectional view of said instrument taken on the line 111, In, in Fig. I.

In said figures, 1, is the piano casing comprising the bed 2, lor the keys or digitals 3, pivoted on the balance rail 4. Said digitals connect with any suitable lorm 01' action comprising hammers to operate the strings 5, on the metallic string lrame G, which latter is provided with. the wooden back supports '7, and sounding board 8. Said casing 1, also comprises the usual upper lid 10; removable lront panel 11, inclosing the action; the hinge cover 12, lor the manual comprising the digitals 3; and, the removable lront panel 13, inclosing the chamber 14, below the key bed, in which chamber the main bellows, chest, etc., ol the playing mechanism may be conveniently mounted. However, the last named parts ol the playing mechanism may be ol ordinary construction and are omitted from the drawings as they form no part of the present invention.

Relerring to Fig. I, 18, is a pneumatic chest ol the automatic playing mechanism which is mounted to oscillate upon the brackets 19, and 20, projecting lrom the respectively opposite ends of the :asing I. Said chest 18, is provided with suitable flexible pneumatic conduits 22, and 23, which lead to the main chest, and bellows below the key bed 2. The chest 18, supports the wind motor 24, which is provided with a suitable flexible pneumatic conduit 25, leading to the main bellows. Said motor 24-, is connected with the board 26, on said chest by the standard 28, to which it is hinged .at 29. Said motor 24, is normally maintained in the position shown in lull lines in Figs. 1 and III, by the latch 31, which is pivoted at 32; but upon turning said latch to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. I, said motor may be lolded lrom the position shown in lull lines in Figs. I and III, to the position shown in dotted lilies in Fig. III, thus allording access to the strings 5, and timing pins which extend behind it.

The wheel 33, on the crank shalt 34, ol said motor 24, is connected by the band 35, with the wheel 36, on the reciprocatory shalt 37, carrying the pinion SS, which latter, according to the position ol said shalt, is adapted to engage or disengage the gear wheel 40, upon the shalt 4l ol the take up roller 42, which is mounted to rotate in the tracker box 43. By the term tracker box, I mean the box which contains the tracker bar, the music roll and the takeup roller. The position ol said shaft 37, is determined by the slide rod 45, which is provided with any suitable means to ellect its manual reciprocation. Said shalt 37, is also provided with the wheel 46, connected by the band 4'7, with the wheel 48, on the shalt 49, in axial aliuement with the bearing shalt 50. Said bearing shalts 4t), and 50, are arranged to rotate in the tracker box 43, and support a music roll so that the perlorated web unwound therelrom upon the take up roller 42, is properly progressed over the tracker bar 52, which latter is connected in any convenient manner with the pneumatic devices com- A prising the automatic playing mechanism.

The chest 18, and the parts supported thereby, as above described, is retained in the normal position shown in hill lines in Figs. 1, II, and 111, by the latch 54, which is pivoted at 55, upon the side frame of the box 43, and has a notch at its free end engaging the screw stud 57, projecting from the string frame (3. When it is desired to afford access to all of the strings and tuning pins of the piano, said latch 54, may be uplifted irom the stud 57, and the chest 18, tracker box 43, and motor oscillated into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 11, in which position the strut 58, which is pivoted at 59, upon the tracker box, swings outwardly and supports the box and chest aforesaid by contact with the rail 60.

It may be noted that whether the Wind motor 24, is oscillated independently of the chest 18, as above described or whether said chest and wind motor are oscillated together the flexible conduits 22, 23, and 25, are not disconnected, but are simply flexed in the abnormal position and are automatically restored to their normal condition when the wind motor and chest are returned to their normal position;

It is to be understood that I do not desire to limit myself to the precise details of construction and arrangement herein set forth, as it is obvious that various modifications may be made therein without departing from the essential features of my invention. I

I claim:

1. In an upright piano; the combination of the casing, the strings, and the key bed; a horizontal board mounted above the level of the key bed and within the casing with the strings; a tracker box and a pneumatic motor supported within the casing; upon said board; flexible pneumatic connections operatively related to both the motor and the tracker box; and pivotal supports for the board below said board and in such relation to said flexible connections that together with the tracker box and the motor it may be swung downwardly from its obstructive position in front of the strings, without severance of the pneumatic connections for the purpose oi exposing the strings for tuning or repair.

2v In a musical instrument comprising a series of sounding devices, the combination with a pneumatic chest; 01' pivotal supports for said chest; a latch arranged to detachably retain said chest in normal position; a pneumatic motor; pivotal supports for said motor; a latch arranged to normally retain said motor in stationary relation to said chest; and, a strut arranged to automatically support said mechanism in its abnormal position, sub stantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania this eleventh day 01? Novelnber 1903.

FLORENCE J. ITEI'PE.

Witnesses l nrm'r WUns'r, .Tr., ARTHUR H. Damn. 

